The first step towards finding a new job is self-assessment. Knowing what you like to do, what you are good at, what your strongest skills are and what is important to you. These points will help you determine what job suits you best. They will also help you market yourself to potential employers.
If you can describe the skills you have and how they relate to the job you are applying for, you will position yourself as a strong candidate for the job.
Make a list of skills you have. This list should include the skills you acquired through all your jobs, full-time, part-time and temporary.
To determine the professional field that interests you the most, think about what you really like to do (at work but also in everyday life). Think about professional experiences you have enjoyed. Evaluate what you liked, what you found challenging and what you may have learned from those experiences. Finally, find out about the types of jobs that best fit your interests and know-how.
Do you want full- or part-time work? What shift do you want to work? How far are you willing to travel to work? What kind of work environment do you prefer? How much do you want to earn? Etc.
Do you like the social side of working with other people? Do you prefer to work in a team or independently? Do you like numbers? Do you like to be creative? Etc.
Before you begin your job search, it’s important to identify the type of work you want to do. Take a few minutes to describe your ideal job, listing the characteristics you would like your new job to have, for example: title, day-to-day tasks, responsibilities, advancement opportunities, industry, work environment, equipment and workplace setting, company size, salary (range), benefits, total hours a week, working hours, distance from home, amount of travel, start date, etc.